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Officials report hundreds of crashes, poor visibility

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says blowing and drifting snow will be an increasing problem for drivers throughout the state on Sunday.

Transportation Department spokesman Kevin Gutknecht said there are difficult driving condition on most roads across the state.

"Really, one of the key problems we have in winter driving is when we have light snow on the ground, quantities of snow on the ground, and it starts to blow -- because that really hampers visibility," Gutknecht said. "So my recommendation to motorists is if you must travel today, then you need to drive according to the conditions, take your time, slow down, plan for extra time."

MnDOT is reporting crashes on most major metro roads, making for an "incredibly busy" day for state troopers, according to a spokesman for the Minnesota State Patrol.

Lt. Eric Roeske said they have responded to more than 300 crashes statewide and an additional 300 calls for cars off the roads or vehicle spin-outs. No serious injuries were reported.

"If you do have a problem or crash or you go off the road or spin out," he said, "our first piece of advice is try to remove yourself from the freeway. Don't sit on the side of the road unless your vehicle's unable to move. Call 911. We'll get you help as quickly as possible, but obviously on days like to today, response times can be significantly delayed."

Roeske said that drivers in ditches should not call friends or family for help; he said the fewer cars on the road, the better.